Friday, October 2, 2009

A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for September 2009

by Joachim Jacob

From the "Airpower Summaries", released on USAF's public main website, for September 2009 I extracted and edited all available info related to A-10 Thunderbolt II combat missions in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom). The mostly daily airpower summaries for OEF and OIF are provided by Combined Air and Space Operations Center (CAOC) officials at Al Udeid AB, Qatar. According to the sources, all of the listed missions were confirmed successful by on-scene joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs).

Sep 1: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and coalition aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces near Lashkar Gah. Ground forces reported receiving mortar and small-arms fire from an enemy compound position. The A-10s made a strafing run that deterred any further enemy action.

Sep 2: No A-10 info

Sep 3: A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces near Lashkar Gah. The aircraft focused on suspicious activity and a show of force was requested to deter any enemy activity. The show of force successfully defused the situation.

Sep 4: A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces near Chahar Bagh. The aircraft focused attention on an enemy position that friendly forces reported as a point of origin for small-arms fire. Precision-guided munitions were deployed on the position eliminating the threat and the position.

Sep 5: No A-10 info

Sep 6: A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces near Chahar Bagh. The aircraft focused attention on an enemy-sniper position when a show of force was requested to deter enemy activity. The show of force successfully deterred enemy action.

Sep 7: No A-10 info

Sep 8: A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch and perimeter security for friendly forces near Sangin. When a suspicious vehicle was noticed, a request was made for a show of force to deter any enemy action. The show of force with flares expended was successful.

Sep 9: No A-10 info

Sep 10: No A-10 info

Sep 11: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs responded to a strike request in the Kunduz area and deployed precision-guided munitions on an enemy target in a treeline position. The target was destroyed.

A-10 aircraft provided overwatch of friendly forces and enemy fighting positions in Sangin. Numerous insurgents with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and rifles were observed on foot and on motorcycles. A request for a show of force was made. The show of force was conducted and the insurgents dispersed over the surrounding countryside.

A-10 aircraft were in the vicinity of Lashkar Gah providing armed overwatch when friendly forces reported receiving small-arms fire from enemy positions. Air support was requested when the points of origin for the enemy fire were confirmed. Several strafing runs were made along with a show of force that terminated the enemy fire.

Sep 12: At Lashkar Gah, A-10 Thunderbolt IIs were overhead providing overwatch when enemy action in a known enemy compound was observed. Enemy forces were massing in the compound and in a nearby tree line position for a possible ambush of a friendly force patrol about to pass by. A precision-guided munition was released on the compound and several strafing runs were made on the treeline position, eliminating the threat to the passing friendly patrol.

At Kandahar, A-10 aircraft were working with friendly forces and coalition forces to eliminate all enemy forces in an identified area. Coalition forces were engaged by enemy forces hiding behind a fence line position and called for cannon fire from the A-10 to destroy the position. After the run was made, the enemy position was confirmed destroyed.

Sep 13: No A-10 info

Sep 14: A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft were in the vicinity of Chahar Bagh providing armed overwatch for friendly forces. Shows of force were requested to deter any enemy aggression in the area and were deemed a success when there was no enemy fire.

MQ-1B Predator and A-10 aircraft were in the vicinity of Qalat providing armed overwatch for friendly forces when they reported receiving small arms fire from an enemy position located on a ridgeline. Air support was requested when the point of origin for the enemy fire was confirmed. A missile and a precision-guided munition were employed against the enemy target and the target was destroyed.

Sep 15: A-10 Thunderbolt II and Navy F/A-18C Hornet aircraft provided armed overwatch for a small friendly forces convoy. Shows of force were requested to deter enemy action when a report of an imminent enemy attack came through. The shows of force, conducted with flares expended, were successful in deterring enemy action and scattering the enemy forces.

Sep 16: There were A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft at Oruzgan providing armed overwatch for friendly forces. When communications broke down between air support and the friendly ground forces, a show of force was performed to deter any enemy aggression until communications were reestablished.

Sep 17: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs responded to a request for support in the Morghab area when a friendly force's convoy came under heavy fire. They performed several shows of force during the enemy engagement ultimately ending the enemy aggression and allowing the friendly forces to return to their base camp as planned.

Near Lashkar Gah, A-10 and F-15E aircraft provided armed overwatch for suspicious activity in the area. Shows of force were requested to deter enemy action when a large group of potential enemy forces were seen gathering. The shows of force, conducted with flares expended, were successful in deterring enemy action and scattering the enemy forces.

Sep 18: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided armed overwatch for friendly forces at a new patrol base at Chahar Bagh. Enemy forces were reported massing in the area and a show of force was requested to deter any enemy aggression. When the show of force was demonstrated with numerous flares expended, the enemy forces were seen vacating the area.

Sep 19: There were A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in the vicinity of Tani flying overwatch for friendly forces. The aircraft observed numerous personnel massing in the area of friendly forces. Strafing runs were performed on the enemy position deterring any potential action by the enemy forces.

Sep 20: No A-10 info

Sep 21: Chahar Bagh saw A-10 Thunderbolt II and coalition aircraft providing overwatch for friendly forces. The friendly forces were clearing compounds that anti-Afghan forces had evacuated and requested air power to deter any possible enemy aggression. A show of force was successful in deterring enemy action while the friendly forces were in the area.

There were A-10s at Kandahar providing armed overwatch for a friendly forces' convoy when several suspicious vehicles approached the convoy from the rear. A show of force was declared a success and the A-10 remained on station with the convoy.

Sep 22: No A-10 info

Sep 23: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs responded to a request for assistance in the Balocan area. Coalition forces reported taking enemy fire and when point of origin for the enemy fire was located, several strafing runs were made, terminating the enemy fire.

A-10 aircraft provided overwatch for friendly forces near Lashkar Gah. The aircraft were sweeping for improvised explosive devices ahead of a friendly patrol when the patrol came under fire. The coordinates of the enemy fire were confirmed. The A-10 provided several shows of force and finished with a strafing run that successfully ended the enemy fire.

Sep 24: A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft were providing overwatch for friendly forces in Sangin. The friendly forces came under deadly enemy small-arms fire while clearing a building and requested an immediate show of force. The show of force was made with flares expended and was called successful when the small-arms fire ceased.

Near Parmakan, A-10 aircraft provided armed overwatch for potential threatening activity during a medevac operation. Friendly forces had come under enemy attack and suffered casualties. A medevac operation was put in motion. When the medevac helicopter arrived in the area, the A-10 performed shows of force with flares expended to deter any enemy aggression during the extraction operation. The shows of force were deemed successful when enemy fire stopped.

There were A-10 aircraft in the vicinity of Sangin flying overwatch for friendly forces. The friendly forces, in conjunction with Afghan National Army forces, were conducting a clearing operation in the area. Shows of force were requested in support of the operation to suppress any enemy action. The shows of force were conducted with numerous flares being expended and apparent success as there was no report of enemy action in the area.

Sep 25: No A-10 info

Sep 26: No A-10 info

Sep 27: At Chahar Bagh, A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided overwatch for friendly forces. Suspicious activity in addition to small-arms fire led to a request for air support. When the small-arms fire coordinates were confirmed, they were passed to the aircrews. A precision guided munition was deployed on the target coordinates destroying the enemy building and ending the enemy small-arms fire.

A-10 aircraft were still in the area at Chahar Bagh when a request for shows of force went out. Several shows of force were conducted with numerous flares expended. All were declared successful as no enemy action was noted afterward.

Sep 28: A-10 Thunderbolt II and coalition aircraft flew armed overwatch in the Farah area. Once on station the aircraft saw intense action as there were several engagements between friendly forces and anti-Afghan forces. Friendly forces reported and confirmed enemy fire from a treeline sniper position and from several buildings located in a compound area. When shows of force did not work in stopping the enemy fire, precision-guided munitions and strafing runs of cannon fire were combined to end the enemy fire. The enemy then retreated to a nearby Mosque to avoid further air strikes.

Sep 29: No A-10 info

Sep 30: At Surkhabad, A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft were providing armed overwatch for friendly forces on patrol. The patrol sent a request for support when they arrived at an improvised explosive device site that had recently been evacuated. Left behind were IED materials and a hole in the ground near a known enemy attack point. Suspicious activity was noted at the enemy position and the coordinates for the enemy target were passed. Precision-guided munitions were deployed on the target site with good results as an apparent enemy weapons cache was destroyed when secondary explosions destroyed the enemy position.

Coalition and A-10 aircraft were in the vicinity of Shurakian providing armed overwatch for friendly forces and a large convoy. A request for a show of force was issued when friendly forces observed suspicious activity near the route of the convoy. The shows of force were conducted and declared successful when the convoy passed by unimpeded. Another show of force was requested when friendly forces suffered an IED strike and wanted to deter a possible second attack. The show of force was successful in deterring any secondary enemy action.

Dedicated in Love

This blog is dedicated to Marina Naumann, my latest female partner who died after incurable pancreas cancer on June 17, 2010, just only a half year after diagnosis. Marina was the second true wife in my life, and she always supported my long-year enthusiastic research work on the Hog, especially since the beginning of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Rest in peace, Marina.